


The 12 Days of Sidewinder - Day 5

by Astrumiel, sasstrick



Series: 12 Days of Sidewinder [5]
Category: Cut & Run - Madeleine Urban & Abigail Roux, Warrior's Cross - Madeleine Urban & Abigail Roux
Genre: Christmas, M/M, Travel, World Travel
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-17
Updated: 2015-12-17
Packaged: 2018-05-07 05:41:02
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,523
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5445311
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Astrumiel/pseuds/Astrumiel, https://archiveofourown.org/users/sasstrick/pseuds/sasstrick
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Cam and Julian spend their holiday traveling.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The 12 Days of Sidewinder - Day 5

**Krakow, Poland**

The streets seemed to be lit even during the day as snow fell steadily. The main market square was brimming with colorful booths selling everything from miniature nativity scenes to warm sweet soft pretzels. Towering above it all was the clock tower which still played the traditional anthem at noon each day. Just beyond it was Saint Mary’s Basilica, and to the east lay the Wawel Castle and the dragon's cave on the banks of the Wisla river. 

Cam walked slowly along the snow banks taking it all in, he had never had the chance to travel anywhere outside of the midwest before. Now that he and Julian were on the run he was seeing parts of the world he had only dreamed about visiting. 

“What do you think?” Julian asked him as they walked together arms linked. 

“It reminds me of those postcards people send, the ones with painted scenes that look too pretty to be real.” Cam answered still a little in awe. 

“It certainly has it’s charm.” Julian agreed pulling Cameron closer. “Though it’s nothing compared to you.” he whispered. 

Cameron blushed, Julian’s words still caught him off guard from time to time. He leaned in easily and kissed him softly before they wandered on.

On the corners of the plaza street performers moved sweeping a small crowd towards them. Somewhere along the way Julian stopped him to point out a pair of cats carved out of pieces of Baltic amber. Cameron made a note to come back later and buy them for him before they trudged on through the square. Past painters set up on empty benches with watercolors, and colored pencils. 

By the time they were headed back in for the night it had started snowing again, and the temperature had dropped with it. Despite Julian’s warmth next to him Cam shivered. 

“Cold?” Julian asked him concerned. 

“Just a little bit.” Cameron admitted. 

Julian glanced around for a second then smiled and pulled Cameron in a different direction, towards a warmly lit cafe. 

“There’s something you should try.” He said ordering a drink quickly, then handing it to Cameron. 

“Tea?” Cam asked accepting it gratefully, the smirk on Julian’s face worrying him slightly, he looked too pleased with himself. 

“Tea.” Julian confirmed watching Cameron take a sip and realize why he was smirking. “Among other things.” He added. 

Cameron had just shook his head and took another sip, enjoying his raspberry liquor tea.

**Abisko, Sweden**

It’s a train ride past stunning scenery decked in snow, the village seems almost buried in the mountains and snow around it. This far north the winds were cruelly bitter and night encompassed this place for days at a time. This place too seemed surreally beautiful, in a cold pure and enchanting way. 

They trudged through the snow with a small group of other people, most too absorbed in their surroundings to pay them any attention. Unlike most of the other place they had been this was Julian’s first time up here as well. 

“Uncharted territory.” He admitted with a huff of a laugh. “But I hear this place should be amazing.” 

It seemed the longer they were away from places linked to Julian’s darker past the more he relaxed and opened up. It was truly something wonderful to see and Cameron treasured it. 

“What are we here to see anyways?” Cameron asked, Julian had been hinting at something for the entire ride. Until Cameron had been reduced to playing a very strange and amusing game of twenty questions with him. He was still no closer to figuring out what they were here to see. 

Julian just smiled again, a smile that meant he was holding secrets, good ones to be share by only the two of them at a later time. 

I was hard to tell what time it was, it was completely cloudless but the whole world seemed to be stuck on just after dark had fallen. It also didn’t help that Julian had asked him if he could cover his eyes before they arrived to their final destination. 

Julian led him to a quiet warm room, taking his coat first and leading him over to a soft seat before removing the impromptu blindfold. 

Cameron opened his eyes to one of the most stunning sights of his life. Julian framed by stars shining through a huge glass dome, and ethereal ribbons of colors dancing in the sky behind him. 

When Julian tried to move out of the way Cameron stopped him. 

“Love I’m blocking the view.” He protested weakly. 

“Are you kidding?” Cameron told him suddenly wishing he had a camera. “You’re the best part of the view.” 

Even in the dark he could see a pleased, surprised blush on Julian’s cheeks. “How do they look?” He asked quietly about the auroras. 

“You’ve never seen them?” Cameron asked surprised when Julian shook his head. The next moment Cameron was yanking him down next to him. “Uncharted territory.” He echoed what Julian said earlier. 

“They were wrong though, they’re so much more than amazing.” Cameron said glancing over to find Julian lying on the bed next to him absolutely captivated by the sight. 

**Bordeaux, France**

“Come on I heard this place has the best wine,” Cam urged, taking Julian by the hand and dragging him through the door of the dive. Julian smiled, following obediently and they sat in a small booth in the back of the quaint little place. The lighting was dim and intimate and it reminded Julian of Tuesdays. He warmed at the thought. 

“Hello gentleman,” The waitress greeted them. Cam nodded at her gingerly and Julian watched him from across the table. “Can I get you both started with a drink? We have an array of wines to choose from-”

“The special,” Julian interrupted her smoothly and Cam looked up at him. “With the house wine, please.” Cam let a small smile grace his face and his cheeks heated, memories of earlier days running through his mind as he reached across the table to take Julian’s hand and brought it to his lips. The waitress nodded and took their menus before leaving. 

“God, I love you,” He murmured, cocking his head and keeping Julian’s hand in his own. They’d been in Bordeaux for about a week and they had stayed in most of the day before Cam got fidgety. 

“And I, you,” Julian chuckled. “Tomorrow we will frequent a few of the shops on-”

“Cameron?” The voice that interrupted Julian made him freeze on caution. His eyes cut to the side, but it had come from behind him and he was now extremely uncomfortable. 

Cam looked up and after a moment, recognition dawned and he was laughing delightedly. 

“Oh my god, Rowan,” He clapped, standing. The body came around from behind Julian to greet Cam as he stood and Julian watched cautiously. The man was large. Almost as large as Julian. He was dark at every angle, but his eyes were as bright as the shallow waters of the sea.

“Jesus, out of anywhere we bump into each other, it’s on the other side of the world, huh?” The guy smiled, laugh lines forming. His accent was close to Cam’s and the way he hugged Julian’s husband was a little too warmly, his hands circling Cam’s waist and rubbing too intimately.

“Really though,” Cam chuckled. “How are you? It’s been so long!” Cam exclaimed. The man nodded, shrugging. 

“A decade, maybe two. I’ve been good. Real good. I’m actually on my honeymoon,” Rowan ducked his head, a small smile playing on his lips. 

“Oh that’s wonderful!” Cam nodded. He glanced at Julian and saw the hard warning in his eyes before he chuckled, shaking his head at him. “We’re not on a honeymoon, but this is my husband, Julian,” Cam introduced. “Julian, this is an old friend from high school, Rowan Merripen.” Julian stood slowly, offering his hand. 

“Got yourself a good dude here,” Rowan told Julian, nodding at Cam. Cam smiled warmly and blushed. Rowan grinned at him. 

“I know,” Julian said shortly and the man smiled wider, knowing the look he was getting from Julian. It didn’t seem to scare him one bit. 

“Would you like to sit with us?” Cam asked and Julian cut a glare to him. Rowan almost answered before he was interrupted. 

“Ro?” A smaller man that looked too pale to be healthy with hair just as white came up behind Rowan. Julian cut a look and while the man was small, Julian could recognize the outline of multiple straps and knives on his person under his coat. 

“Beckett,” Rowan announced, turning to throw his arm over his shoulders and steer him to stand beside him. “Beck, this is an old friend of mine, Cameron. Cameron, this is my shiny new husband, Beckett,” The man announced proudly. Cam smiled, offering his hand to Beckett, who took it smoothly. 

Beckett’s eyes moved to assess Julian and there was a familiar glint in his eye and for a moment, Julian thought he may know him. The glint turned hard and Julian may not have remembered, but he definitely might know the guy. There was an odd silence and Rowan must have caught on to the smaller man’s discomfort because the dark man with the ocean eyes went from happy and loose to hard and charged with warning. 

“Uh,” Cam started, watching them. 

“Julian,” Beckett clipped, the accent full now. Suddenly memories hit Julian and he mentally replaced the man’s light hair with darker strands. 

“Alec,” Julian stated. “Or it’s Beckett, now?”

“Alec?” Rowan blanched, looked down at Beckett. “What the hell?” 

“We worked together,” Beckett muttered. Realization dawned on the larger man’s face and he sighed. Cam looked to Rowan in question and the big man just rolled his eyes and shook his head. 

“Need to know,” Rowan shrugged. “We would love to join you, but we actually just finished and were on our way out. You should call sometimes, Cameron,” Rowan pointed. Cam smiled, nodding. 

“How’s Arlo?” Beckett asked, ignoring the two of them. Cam sucked in a shocked breath and looked to Julian. 

“Dead,” Julian said, chin raised. A smile broke through Beckett’s hard facade. 

“Delightful,” Was all he said before turning to slip his hand into the crook of Rowan’s arm. “We’ll be leaving. Nice to meet you Cameron. Julian, good to hear you finally got out,” Beckett nodded. Julian relaxed a little, keeping eye contact. He nodded and sat again as the two smiled and turned away to leave. 

“What the hell was that!” Cam exclaimed as soon as they were out of earshot. 

“You were a little too warm to touch with that man,” Julian sipped his wine that had been poured during their exchange. 

“Oh shut up, who was that?” Cam pointed. Julian smiled at him. 

“We… ran into each other on a case once. The real question here is who the bloody hell is Rowan Merripen, Cam?” Julian asked smoothly and Cam sat rigid and blushed under his glare. 

“An old friend.”

“Lies,” Julian chuckled. 

“An old boyfriend.” 

“Continue,” Julian swirled the wine in his glass and stared calmly at his husband. 

“He was an old boyfriend, ok, I don’t know what else you want me to say!”

“And you were letting him touch you like that?” Julian teased. “In front of me? My my,” He shook his head. “I may need to punish you.”

Heat pooled in Cam’s eyes and a slow smile formed on his lips. 

“He was very exciting in bed, I will admit-”

“Too much,” Julian cut him off as their food was placed down. “We’re going to need this boxed with the check, please,” He told the waitress without looking up. 

“You asked,” Cam murmured dangerously when they were alone. 

“Need to know, darling,” Julian said. 

**Dublin, Ireland**

There was something strange about coming home. Though he couldn’t even call it that, birthplace was more accurate. Julian never honestly thought he'd be walking down these streets again, much less on Christmas Eve with his husband. It was Cameron’s voice that brought him out of his daze now. 

“Julian are you alright?” He asked. “You seemed distracted.” 

“I’m fine, love.” He answered trying to look more relaxed than he felt. 

“You’re not.” Cameron said cutting straight through the facade easily. “It’s something about being back home, isn’t it?” He asked.”Someone you’re afraid of running into?” 

Julian shook his head. “No, it’s something I can’t quite place.” He told Cameron, taking both of his hands in his, watching the church lights glint off of Cam’s wedding ring. 

“Would you come with me for a moment?” He asked looking over at the old church. 

“Anywhere.” Cameron promised sensing what Julian was after. 

He led him to the steps of the church, stopping in front of the door almost as if he wasn’t sure he was allowed back in. After a moment he pushed the doors open and led Cameron inside. The interior was lit solely by candles, hundreds of them. Several people glance their way as them walked over the tiled floor. 

It was midnight mass, like the one Julian had been about to go to the night he finally found it in himself to ask Cameron to walk home with him. All at once, or so it seemed, the choir rang out in a pure note together. 

Cameron joined in a little when he could, there was nothing spectacular about his voice but it joined the rest of the choir and church goers. After a few silent minutes Julian let his voice join them, startling a smile out of Cameron who gripped his hand tighter. It had been decades since he sang in his native tongue but the more he sang the more easily the words came. Until his voice rang strong and true like it had so long ago. 

It wasn’t until they were leaving the church later on that someone came up to Julian, one of the sisters who worked at the church. She reached over and grabbed Julian by the arm gently stopping him. 

Before he could say a word she looked at him closely and asked something in rapid gaelic, Julian’s name coming in the mix of words. 

Cameron glanced at Julian concerned and stood his ground not letting go of his hand, waiting to see what he would do. 

After a moment the tension fell off Julian’s shoulders as he answered her kindly, even gesturing to Cameron as he spoke. 

She smiled at both of them and patted Julian on the shoulder as she walked away.

“You were homesick.” Cameron observed. “You didn’t even realize did you? You were just worried it wouldn’t be like you remembered.” 

Julian smiled at him before nodding, “I think you’re right about that.” 

“Is it like you remember it?” Cameron asked carefully.

“Better.” Julian said, “Much better and I’m glad I get to share this with you.” He brought Cam’s hand to his lips and pressed a kiss to his wrist. “Nollaig Shona.” 

“Merry Christmas to you too.” Cam answered.

**Author's Note:**

> Rowan and Beckett are characters of our own creation from a book we are working on! Hope you liked meeting them!!


End file.
